Quartz Classics

The History

Amethyst was considered one of the most precious stones in the ancient world — alongside diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald — until vast Brazilian and Uruguayan deposits were discovered in the 18th and 19th centuries. The resulting abundance collapsed its commercial value but not its beauty. Citrine's warm golden colour made it popular in Art Deco jewellery, often used at heroic scale precisely because its affordability permitted it. Ametrine from the Anahí mine in Bolivia — the only commercial source in the world — carries a history involving a Spanish conquistador, a Bolivian princess, and a land grant that has remained in the same family for centuries.

Why I Love Working With It

Quartz's accessibility is the design opportunity. In any other species, a 30-carat centre stone would require a completely different conversation about budget. In quartz, it is achievable. This opens settings, proportions, and architectural ambitions that are closed off elsewhere. The design can scale to the stone rather than the stone to the budget.

What to Look For

For amethyst, deep Siberian purple — or Uruguayan material with strong violet — is the premium tier; avoid stones with brown or red undertones. For citrine, golden to whisky colour is more prized than pale lemon. Ametrine should show a clear 50/50 partition of purple and yellow — colour bleeding at the boundary reduces value. Heat-treated amethyst used to produce citrine is entirely standard and accepted.